It is best for professionals with tax-related issues to come forward voluntarily, says IRB's CEO.

Come September or October, the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) will be hot on the heels of professionals, revealed its chief executive officer Sabin Samitah.

"We will conduct nationwide operations to audit the professional groups, such as lawyers, architects, engineers and doctors.

"So, I advise those (in the professional groups) who have tax issues to better come forward to disclose (their earnings) voluntarily," Sabin told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said the IRB's target was to collect RM127.7 billion in tax revenue this year and that it has so far collected RM75.7 billion.

He also highlighted the challenges faced by IRB in achieving its target, which included shortcomings due to the one percent reduction in company tax last year.

Another challenge, Sabin said, was that the IRB may only be able to collect RM3 billion in tax revenue from Petronas, instead of the RM8 billion slated for this year.

However, he said, the IRB was confident that it could achieve its target after a total of RM5 billion has been offset by the agency.

To a question, Sabin said that this time around, the IRB would not target politicians.

He noted that most of the politicians, including those from the opposition, had declared their income.

Sabin also clarified that Ops Saji, a two-week operation targeting tax evaders in the food industry that ended on Aug 25, was not aimed at petty traders.

"Our officers visited the stalls to ask them if they have registered (as taxpayers)," he said.

"They don't have to worry; if their business costs are high, then it is allowed as expenses (that can be deducted), so they have nothing to pay," Sabin added.

Ops Saji, he said, had in fact targeted big restaurants where the operators had failed to declare the correct amount of income their businesses received.